Valve



March 29, 1938. F GOTTHARDT 2,112,363

VALVE Filed Oct. 25, 1933 Inventor Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATESVALVE Fritz Gotthardt,

Ridgewood, N. Y.

Application October 25, 1933, Serial No. 695,088

2 Claims.

This invention relates to thermostatically controlled radiator-valvesfor steam heat and is adapted for use in connection with the one-pipesystem. A liquid-filled vessel acts as a thermostat, being installed inthe room the temperature of which is to be regulated; the expansion dueto temperature undergone by this liquid, compresses a bellows whichcloses the valve when the desired temperature has been reached. Use maybe made of the thermostat described in Patent No. 1,925,530, September5, 1933. Thermostats of this design work satisfactorily insteam-heatingsystems in which the water of condensation is returned tothe boiler by a separate pipe. In the case of one-pipe systems, thewater of condensation is returned to the boiler by the same pipe bywhich the steam is supplied to the radiator. If a thermostaticallycontrolled valveis installed in a one-pipe system it must not reduce thepassage to such an extent that the velocity of the steam will preventthe return of the water of condensation. All known valves controlled byliquid-filled thermostats close slowly, in accordance with theheat-expansion of the liquid, and are therefore not suitable forone-pipe systems.

In the case of the present invention, this .objection is avoided. Whenthe desired room-temperature has been reached, the thermostat closes thevalve instantaneously thereby preventing further accumulation of steamin the radiator which ordinarily would result in the accumulation ofcondensed water. When the room temperature falls below the desired pointthe valve is instantaneously opened wide. The complete closing of thevalve prevents leakage of steam into the radiator, and the completeopening of the valve assists in draining the condensed water. Apartially open valve would prevent such drainage of water and causeradiator trouble. The water condensed from the steam fed into theradiator, has therefore the opportunity of flowing back through a valvethat is wide open. A further improvement lies in the fact that theclosed Valve is mechanically locked against being opened bysteam-pressure.

Another improvement is provided by the use of a resilient, liquid-filledcontainer, which is in heat-contact with the valve and acts as a motor,and which makes useof the difference in temperature with the valve openor closed, in order to perform a part of the work required for openingor closing the valve.

Another improvement is. that the valve-seat is connected with thevalve-housing by a thin membrane, so that deformation of thevalvehousing will not afiect the valve-seat, a tight closing of thevalve being thus at all times assured. I

Fig. 1 is a vertical view of an ordinary thermostat. I ,5

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a possible design using aflat spring coup-ling between. the valve and the thermostaticoperating-device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view-of a complete valve, in theopen position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of a part of the valve shownin Fig. 3, but in, the closed position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional ,view of an-' other modification ofa part of the valve.

Fig. 1 shows a thermostat which can be used. The container I0 iscompletely filled with aliquid and is connected by means of the smallpipe II with the valve-operating vessel. The container I0 is held inplace by the clamp I2, which may, 20 for example, be fastened to thewall. The handwheel [3 is provided in front with a-scale, By turning thehand-wheel It the capacity of the container H1 is. altered, and thus thedesired temperature is set. The position of the hand-wheel I3 can beread by the pointer l4- I Fig. 2 shows a possible design of theradiatorvalve. The valve-housing l5 has an inlet l6 and an outlet I 8.The inlet l6 can be closed tightly by the valve-disc H. The thermostaticvalve-operating vessel I9 is connected by the pipe II with the containerHl (Fig. 1), and transmits its movement through the stem 26 to anintermediate, resilient, liquid-filled container 2 I, which in turnexerts pressure on the fiat spring 22. The stem 23 of the valve-disc iscoupled at 24 with the flat spring 22. If the room temperature rises,the liquid in the container l0 expands, the stem 20 presses against theintermediate container 2!, and the latter in turn presses against thefiat spring 22, which is distorted until it assumes the positionindicated by the broken line 25. A somewhat greater distortion causes itto snap to the position indicated by the broken line 26. This closes thevalve instantaneously, and the steam is cut off. As the room temperaturefalls, the same process takes place in the reverse order. The spring 21keeps the flat spring constantly in contact with the vessels l9 and 2|.Since considerable power is required to openand shut the valve, thethermostat I0 used would have to be of a large size. For this reason theresilient, liquid filled vessel 2| has been interposed. This vessel isin heat-contact withthe valve-housingj The temperature of the valvehousing is nearly that of the steam while the valve is open, and fallsconsiderably below that point when the valve is closed. The intermediatevessel experiences this same fluctuation of temperature. Whenever thevalve is opened, the temperature rises, the intermediate vessel expandsand forces the fiat spring almost into the position of snapping over.The actual snapping-over takes place due to a final push exerted by thethermostatic operating vessel |3, caused by the thermostat H].

The intermediate vessel 2| therefore acts as a motor which performs apart of the work required to open and shut the valve. When the valve isclosed and the room temperature falls, the foregoing operations takeplace in reverse order. The intermediate vessel 2| may be omitted if thethermostatic operating vessel I9 is brought into heatcontact with thevalve-housing and if the liquid contents of the said vessel arecorrespondingly increased. This has been done in the design shown inFig. 3. Since, after the valve has been closed, a large difference inpressure develops and tends to open the valve, there beingsteam-pressure on one side and a vacuum on the other, the valve-discmust be locked against undesired opening.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a radiator valve locked with the aid of thetoggle-joints 28 and 29. The valvehousing l5 had an inlet l6 and anoutlet l8. The cover 35 is seated on the housing l5 by means of a ring34 provided with a right and left hand thread. The stem 23' of thevalve-disc I1 is guided by a recess in the cover 35 and by a brace 33which is rigidly attached to the cover 35. The pivot 36 of one arm ofthe toggle-joint 28 is rigidly attached to the cover 35', and pivot 3|of the other arm. 29 is rigidly attached to the stem 23. Pivot 32connects the two arms of the toggle-joints 28 and 29, and is guided in aslot of the lever 36. Fig. 4 shows the valve in the closed position,with the pivots 30, 3| and 32 of the toggle joints 28 and 29 lyingnearly in a straight line. A forcible opening of the valve bysteam-pressure is impossible. In Fig. 3 the thermostatic vessel 31 issecured by the nut 38 to the cover 35'. The pipe H is connected with thethermostat ID. If the temperature of the liquid in the thermostat ID orin the thermostatic vessel 31 rises, said liquid expands and compressesthe bellows 39, which exerts pressure through its rod 40 upon the lever4|. The lever 4| has its fulcrum 42 rigidly fastened to the brace 33.This lever 4| participates in all of the slow motions of the bellows 39,transmitted to it by the rod 40 and is held securely in contact with thesame by the spring 21. The lever 4| is prolonged by the lever 36, thefulcrum 43 of which, is fixed to the lever 4|. A tension-spring 44, isattached at one end to the pin 45 in lever 4|, and at the other end tothe pin 46 in the lever 36. If in Fig. 3 the liquid in the vesselexpands, the bellows is compressed, the rod 40 is thrust downward andfulcrum 43 of the lever 4| moves from left to right until it has passedthe straight line connecting the pins 45 and 46. At this instant thetension spring 44 throws the lever 36 from right to left, closing thevalve by means of the toggle-joints 28 and 29, as shown in Fig. 4. Thisshuts off the steam; the vessel 31 cools off, and the process describedabove takes place in a reverse order. The quantity of liquid in thevessel 31 is so chosen, that as the vessel 31 cools to the temperatureof the closed valve, the lever 4| is brought into such a position thatthe fulcrum 43 and the two pins 45 and 46 come almost into a straightline. If the room temperature falls, the liquid in the thermostat lcontracts, and produces a still further movement of the lever 4|. Thelever 36 snaps over to the other side, and re-opens the valve. Thethermostat l0 furnishes the final amount of power necessary to throw thelever 36. The larger movements which the lever 4| is called upon tomake, are produced by the liquid in the vessel 31, which is affected bythe great fluctuations of the temperature of the valve-housing,resulting from the opening and closing of the valve. Vessel 31 thereforeacts as a motor. The locking of the closed valve can be effected in anyother desired manner, as for instance, in that shown in Fig. 5.

Within the housing l and cover 35 (Fig. 5), is provided the roller 50.The axle 5| of roll 52 is secured to the valve-stemt 23. The lever 36forces a shape 53 between the two rolls, whereby the valve is opened orclosed. Fig. 5 shows the valve in the closed position. Undesired openingby steam-pressure is impossible. When the temperature falls the lever 36assumes the position shown by the broken outline. The spring 54 keepsthe roller 52 in contact with the shape 53.

One of the difficulties connected with large valves when used with theone-pipe system lies in the fact that during their installation, theirhousing is likely to be sprung out of true. This is detrimental to theirtightness. For this reason in my design the valve-seat 56 is providedwith a thin membrane 51, which in turn is held to the housing l5 by thering 58. Any distortion of the housing |5 will distort the thinmembrane- 51, but will not affect the heavy ring 56, which serves as avalve-seat.

To sum up, in my invention a liquid filled thermostat is connected withthe valve by a coupling having a collapsing articulation, which providesfor a complete and instantaneous opening and shutting of the valve atthe desired temperature, in order that the difficulties of removing theWater of condensation may be avoided. The motion of the levers isrendered more perfect by the insertion of a vessel which acts as amotor. The valve when closed is mechanically locked against forcibleopening by the pressure of the steam. It is to be noted that the volumeof chamber 31 is actually several times smaller than that ofthermostatic vessel I0, although the drawings are not held inproportion. In order not to confuse the various expressions employed inthe foregoing descriptions and the following claims, it is to be notedthat the operating mechanisms connecting elements 2| and 31 with thevalve stems are to be distinguished according to their respectivefunctions. Thus in Fig. 2 is shown nothing more than what I shall term asnap joint consisting of spring 22 which is flexed to either right orleft, thereby opening or closing disc |1, respectively.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 are shown besides snap joints also means forlocking the valve stems in their closed position. These means I shallterm lock joints. Thus in Figures 3, 4 and 5 the snap joints consist oflevers 36 and 4|, connected by spring 44, whereas the lock joint inFigures 3 and 4 consist of double levers or link-joints 28 and 29, andin Fig. 5 of roller 52 and bar 53.

Another important feature of my invention is to be carefully considered.It relates to the valve seat 56 and its integral part 51, which latterconstitutes in effect a membrane or resilient suspension, upon thefunction of which the proper seating contact between disc I1 and seat 56entirely depends. In hand-operated valves a tight seating of the discagainst the seat may be easily forced, particularly when the disc ismade of relatively soft or resilient material, whereas in automaticallyoperated devices of the kind described, a true seating function dependsupon accurate workmanship. 1

Inasmuch as valves are often handled by careless workmen, it quite oftenhappens that when applying heavy wrenches in tightening the valve tosteam pipes, the valve portion containing the valve seat becomesdistorted and consequently precludes proper seating of the disc. Forthat very reason I have so designed the valve seat as to be independentof the valve housing. This I accomplish by resiliently suspending theseat. In the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, the seat body is annularlyundercut toform an annular resilient support in the form of annularmembrane 51, which in itself may become distorted without influencingthe upper portion of the seat, which is spaced from the housing body.

While the above is only one of the possible constructions of resilientlysuspending a seat, similar ways of accomplishing the same results may bereadily devised, and I reserve for myself the right to make changes inthat particular construction within the broad scope of my claims.

The present invention is primarily designed for single-pipe steam heatradiators. It may, however, be adapted for use in connection with vacuumand hot water systems, in which latter application a by-passingarrangement for water from one radiator to the other may be provided.

I claim:

1. In a temperature-governed radiator valve including a housing and aclosure member operatively mounted therein, an exterior completelyliquid filled thermostatic vessel exposed to room temperature, a singleand completely liquid filled closure acting element associated with saidhousing and influenced by the steam, which passes the open valve and aliquid conduit connecting said thermostatic vessel and said closureacting element, a snap-joint operatively connecting said element withsaid closure member and adapted to instantaneously either fully open orfully close the latter and a lock-joint provided for said closure memberand adapted to forcibly retain said closure member in its. closedposition, when brought to that position by the snap-joint actuated bysaid element.

2. The device defined in claim 1: Said element being adapted togradually bring said snap-joint to almost its snap movement position foreither closing or opening said closure member, when said element issubjected to changes in temperature within said housing; the function ofthe room thermostat being to complete the snap movement of saidsnap-joint by adding impetus to movement of said element.

FRITZ GOTTHARDT.

